Apparatus for the gradual reduction of grain



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. D. GRAY.

APPARATUS FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN. No. 271,331. Patented Jan. 30, 1883..

N PETERS Pnowuma n hw. waslun mn. 0. c.

2 MW e h S w: G e h S 5 Y A R G D W (No Model.)

APPARATUS FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN.

Patented Jan.30, 1883. 1729. 2,

.ILF

| I I I N, PETERS Phulu-Lllhogmphcr, Washmqlun, n c

(No Model.) 7 5Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. GRAY.

APPARATUS FOR THE GRAD'UAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN. No. 271,331. 1 Patented Jan. 30,1883.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sh set 4.

W. D. GRAY. APPARATUS PORDTHE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN. No. 271,331. Patented Jan.30, 1883.

2 Imenibr.

6% aw 7mm 9. (/0 Wm M f M (No Model.) 5 SbeetsSheet 5.

; W. D. GRAY.

APPARATUS FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN. No. 271,331. Patented JaILSO, 1883.

WITNESSES: IN AE'NTO I I MW 5? 9m N. PEYERS. Phola-Umogmnimr. Wnshmgivlh D.C.

NITED STATES PATENT .FFICE.

WILLIAM D. GRAY, OF MILWAUKEE, YVISCONSIN.

APPARATUS FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,333}, dated January 30, 1853, Application filed July 29, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. GRAY, of

Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for the Gradual Reduction of Grain, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an organization of mechanisms for automatically efl'ecting the production of flour from grain by what is commonly known in the art as the system of gradual reduction, which consists essentially in gradually reducing the grain by subjecting the same repeatedly to the action of grinding or crushing rolls with intermediate treatments to effect the removal of the fine flour between it, which shall occupy less space, and which shall admit of the reductions and separations being varied in number and arrangement, as

' circumstances may require.

To this end it consists in the combination of severalpairs of grinding rolls combined with intermediate screens, elevators, and conductors, as hereinafter described, and'in many fea tures and combinations, which will be hereinafter detailed.

My m achineembracesin its construction, first,

a rectangular main frame, upon the respective corners of which four roller-mills are located, the mills being coupled together in pairs, so that the motion imparted to two of them will be transmitted therefrom to the other two. In the base of the framebeueath the mills there are two longitudinal cylindrical screens or bolts divided transversely at the center, so that each constitutes in efl'ect two independent bolts. In this manner four bolts are producedone to receive the products from each of the roller-mills. From the bolts the material is delivered into receptacles from which endless elevators, driven preferably by the belts, convey the material from the respective screens into an elevator chamber or hopper, whence it is delivered through conductor-pipes to the respective rolls. The arrangement is such that the grain introduced into one mill is passed through the same and bolted to separate the fine material, after which the coarse material is elevated and delivered into the next mill, to be again bolted, and so on repeatedly throughout the series, the coarse material being subjected to the-action of all the mills or rolls in succession with a removal of the fine material by the screen between each reduction and the next.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of'the same, one side being shown in horizontal section through the center of the reel on the line 1 1, Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine, one side being shown in vertical sectionon the line 2 2, Fig. 4.. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through one side of the machine on the line 3 '3, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plan view,'illustrating the relative size and arrangement and the connections between the respective pairs of rolls, each pair being commonly denominated in the art as a mill.

A represents a rigid rectangular base-frame,

designed to sustain the various operative parts of the machine.

B B B B represent the four roller-mills,-

located upon the respective corners of the main frame. These mills consist each of a pair of horizontal co-operating rolls mounted in suitable bearings and provided with adjusting devices and with a feed-hopper, O, forsupplying the material thereto. The rolls and their supporting and adjusting devices may be of any ordinary or suitable construction. Either of the arrangements represented in the various patents hitherto granted to me for roller-mills will answer an excellent purpose.

The mills B and B upon one side of the frame are constructed with rolls of a length less than those of the other mills, it being preferred to make them usually of about twothirds the length of the others. This is for the purpose of giving the last two mills a greater surface, in order to adapt them to act upon and dispose of all the reduced material without driving them at a higherspeed than theothers. As shown in the drawings, 'particu larly in Fig. 5, the mills B and B at one end ot the frame are arranged with their axis in another.

v tained, it is preferred to retain the arrangeline, having their rolls coupled together by I means of transverse shafts D and E, the ends of which are connected to the journals of therolls by universal joints, or joints of any suitable construction which will prevent the parts from cramping or binding in the event of the rolls being thrown slightly out of line. A simple connection for this purpose is that represented in the drawings, wherein connectingshafts are each bored out at the ends to fit over the journals of the rolls and connected to each journal by a single transverse bolt, a, the bolt at one end being at right angles to that at the other. It will be seen that under this arrangement motion transmitted to either roll of one mill will be transmitted therefrom, th rou gh the conneotin g-shaft,to the corresponding rolls of the companion mill, being thus caused to drive them, and the two being caused to run at equal speeds. At the opposite end of the machine the mills B and B are arranged in like relation to each other and coupled in like manner by shafts D and E. Motion may be communicated to the mills thus coupled together by any suitable system of driving-belts or drivinggear; but I prefer to make use of the peculiar arrangement represented in the drawings, wherein a transverse counter-shaft, F, located in the base of the machine is provided at one end with two pulleys, G and H, connected, the former by a belt, I. to a driving-pulley, J, attached to one of the rolls of mill B, and the latter connected by a belt, K, .to a driving-pulley, L, attached to one of the rolls of mill B. In this manner motion is communicated from the counter-shaft to one roll of each of the four mills. Motion is communicated to the remaining rolls of the four mills from the counter-shaft on the opposite side of the machine by the arrangement represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the counter-shaft being provided on that side with a pulley, M, from and beneath which a driving-belt, O, is extended upward around the pulleys P and Q, applied, the former to one of the rolls of mill B and the latter to one of the rolls of mill B By the above system of belting on the two sides of the machine a positive motion is transmitted to the four sets of grinding-rolls.

It is obvious that the same system of belting may be applied entirely to one side of-the machine by placing all the; driving-pulleys on that side; but for various reasons, the principal one being that a smoother'action ,is obment represented.

Having thus described the arrangement and action of the mills, I will now pass to the bolting or separating mechanism and the means for elevating the tailin gs and effecting the delivering the coarse material from one mill to Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that there are located in the base of the machine on opposite sides two horizontal or substantially horizontal cylindrical reels, S and S. These reels are each carried by longitudinal central shafts T and T, one in each reel. Each reel has its outer end sustained and carried by a skeleton wheel or head, U, mounted upon the central shaft, as shown in Figs. 2 and-4L. At the center each reel contains a large supporting pulley or drum, V, made with a broad face or rim and with a central web, I), which is made solid for the purpose of forming a division or partition, and thus dividing the reel transversely, so that its opposite ends at and at will serve as separate and independent reels.

lhe central pulley has its rim or periphery provided with perforationsc, near the outer edge, these perforations serving as outlets through which the tailin gs escape into the receiving-chambers W W, &c., beneath, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

As regards their construction and arrangement, the two reels on opposite sides of the machine are duplicates of each other, the pair of divided reels constituting inefi'ect four separate and independent reels-one for each mill.

It will be observed that the reels are so arranged with respect to the mills that the open end or head of one reel is located beneath each mill to receive the product therefrom. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, a spout or conducting-passage, X, extends from the mill B downward into one end of the reel S, while a corresponding passage extends from the mill B into the opposite end of said reel, and in like manner, on the opposite side of the machine, conducting-passages X extend from the'mills B and B into opposite ends of the reel S, the product from each mill being thus delivered into a screening-surface below, so as to have the fine material separated from the coarse, the fine material passing through the screening or bolting surfaces into the receiving chambers or hoppers Y Y, 860., located thereunder, while the tailings or coarse material passes from the interior surface of the reel through the perforations 0 into the chambers W and W. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, there aretwo of these tailings-chambers beneath each reel, the chambers being independent of each other to receive the'material discharged from opposite ends of the reel. To effect the delivery of the coarse material fromthe hoppers W W, 850., to the next succeeding. mills for treatment, I employ on each side of the machine two elevator-belts, Z and Z Z As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these belts are arranged to pass around the circumference of and are driven by the central reel-pulley, V,

one belt traveling in the chamber W, to re-- ceive the tailings from one end of the reel, while the other belt travels. in the chamber W, to receive material from the opposite end of the reel. From the reel the elevator-belts extend upward through spouts to an elevatorchamber, A, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4. In this chamber the four elevator-belts pass around supporting-pulleys 0, being so disposed that they deliver the material into the upper ends of spouts or conductors E E E leading. to the hoppers of the respective mills. The arrangement of the spouts, as clearly represented in the drawings, is such that the material passing from the mill B, through the corresponding end of the reel S, is carried by the belt Z and delivered into the pipe E, by which it is conducted into the mill B for the second reduction. After passing through the mill B, the material passes into the right-hand end of the reel S, where a -second separation of the fine material takes place, after which the remaining coarse material-is delivered into the chamber W, whence it is carried by the elevator Z to the top of the conductor-pipe E, and thereby delivered into the mill B Passing through the mill B the material enters one end of the reel S, and has the fine material removed, as before, after which the coarse product is taken up by the elevator Z and delivered through the spout E intothe thirdmill, B, from which it passes into the second or opposite end of the reel S, whereby a fourth separation of the fine material is effected. The coarse product resulting from this last screening operation may be removed from the machine for further treatment,or it may bepermitted to ascend throng the elevator Z preparatory to its being agai passed through the machine.

It will be seen that bythe aboveapparatus the coarse product may be caused to travel repeatedly through the machine, subject to continual reductions and separations for any desired length of time, or until it is reduced to the proper degree of fineness; or the material may be spouted out and removed after the first, second, or third reduction, as preferred.

Motion may be communicated to the reels in any suitable manner; but itis preferred,as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to mount a transverse shaft, 11, across one end of the machine, and to provide the same with bevel-pinions I, engaging into and driving corresponding wheels, J, on the outer ends of the reel-shafts.

It will of course be understood that, if preferred, the various mills may be driven independently of each other, and that instead of driving the elevator-belts by means of the reels they may be otherwise driven without departing from the general scope of my invention.

It is preferred, however, to retain the details v of construction represented in the drawings.

It is also obvious that one or two of the mills and the corresponding reels and elevators may be omitted when a smaller number of reductions are to be effected.

B y the expression roller-mill, as employed in this specification, is meant a reduction apparatus or grinding-machine consisting of two or more coacting rolls, by and between which the material to be reduced is passed.

' The present invention is restricted to those matters and things which are specifically claimed herein, and as to all features, devices,

or combinations which may be shown and de scribed but not claimed herein, the right is reserved to make the same the snbjectmatter of anindependent patent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an automatic apparatus for the gradual reduction of grain, the combination, substantially as shown, of four roller-mills, two reels located thereunder, and provided each with a central division, and elevators operating in connection with the respective ends of each reel, said parts arranged substantially as described, to efi'ect the delivery of the material'through the successive mills and reels alternately.

2. In combination with the two roller-mills or reduction-machines, a cylindrical reel divided'transversely, and arranged to receive the product from the respective mills .atits opposite ends.

3. The rotary reel or screen provided with a central pulley, V, having the dividing web or disk to separate the two ends of the reel,

escape of the tailings.

4. The improved reel for gradual-reduction machines, consisting of the cylindrical screening-surface and the central shaft provided with the skeleton wheels or heads at opposite ends, and with a central pulley, V, having a perforated rim.

5. The transversely-divided reel having the outlets on opposite sides of its central division in combination with theindependent receivingchambers W and W, and the independent elevator-belts X and X, as shown and described.

6. Ina gradual-reduction machine, the combination of two pairs of crushing-rolls and intermediate couplings connecting the rolls of each pair with the corresponding rolls of the other pair, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In a reduction-machine, the roller-mills B and B and the intermediate couplings connecting the respective rolls, as described, in combination with the two driving-pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the machine, and connected, one with the forward roll of one mill and the other with the rear rolls of the other mill, as described, whereby motion is transmitted to the forward rolls of both mills from one pulley and to the rear rolls of both mills from the other pulley.

8. In a gradual reduction machine, the combination of a rectangular sustaining-frame, four roller-mills mounted upon the respective corners of said frame, two transversely-divided reels mounted in the base of said frame, below the mills, to receive the meal or break by gravity therefrom, an elevator connected with each reel, and a series of spouts leading from the upper ends of the respective elevators to the respective mills, in the manner shown and described.

"and the perforations in the rim to permit the driving-belts extended, two from one end of the main shaft and one from the opposite side of said shaft to the respective rolls of the grinding-mills, as described and shown.

WILLIAM DIQKSOY GRAY.

Witnesses:

WM. W. ALLIs, THEO. F. WAMBoLD. 

